Flatbed van insurance

Although commercial van insurance policies allow you to carry tools and equipment you need for your work, they won’t usually insure the items themselves against damage and theft. For that, you’ll need to pay extra for tools cover or take out a separate policy.

Be aware that insurance providers will often require you to take certain security measures for your cover to be valid. This includes not leaving equipment in the van overnight.

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when comparing flatbed van insurance:

• Make sure you’ve opted for business use on your policy. Otherwise you could find it’s invalidated when you come to claim.

• If you’ve modified your van in any way – by changing the bodywork, engine or exhaust – you’ll also need to make that clear.

• If you have more than one work van to insure, you could get a better deal and save time by choosing fleet insurance. This allows you to cover multiple vans or trucks under the same policy, normally even if they’re different makes and models.

You can get temporary short-term van cover that could cover you for as little as one hour, up to 28 days.

Bear in mind though that it’s a legal requirement to have insurance for your flatbed truck, even if you’re not driving it for a while. That's unless you officially declare it as off the road with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

Heavier vehicles will usually attract higher premiums. This is how vehicle weight affects flatbed van insurance:

• HMRC uses the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of your flatbed truck to determine what type of vehicle it is for road tax purposes. This classification will also affect which type of vehicle insurance you need.

• If your flatbed has a MAM of less than 3.5 tonnes, it’s classed as a light goods vehicle (LGV) and you’ll be covered by business van insurance.

• If your flatbed truck is over 3.5 tonnes, you’ll need specialist insurance cover for a heavy goods vehicle (HGV).

Flatbed vans tend to be more expensive to insure than standard vans. That’s because they’re bigger, more powerful to drive and may be seen as more of a risk by insurance providers.

They’re also potentially more susceptible to accidental damage as construction sites can be dangerous places. And because the back of a flatbed truck is open, they could be more of a target for opportunistic thieves.

Here are a few ways you could save money on your flatbed van insurance:

• Pay a higher voluntary excess – your voluntary excess is how much you choose to pay upfront when you make a claim. Insurance providers usually add a compulsory excess to this, so make sure you can afford both.

• Keep your van secure – securing your van with an immobiliser and using an approved alarm and tracker could lower your insurance premium.

• Don’t auto renew – shop around and compare quotes to find a cheaper deal on flatbed truck insurance ahead of your renewal date.

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